1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for generating print data to be printed by a printer, data processing method, data processing program, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional information processing apparatus, when printing onto different types of print media using an application program running on a computer, it is required to perform printing as many times as the number of types of print media, and it is required to specify the type of print media each time printing is performed.
For example, in the case where a document is first printed on Over Head Projector (OHP) transparency sheets which are to be used by a presenter in a presentation and then printed, collated and stapled on sheets of standard paper (e.g., opaque recording sheets) for distribution to participants at the presentation, printing on OHP transparency sheets is first performed in a “Staple-Off” mode, and then, after changing the setting of a printer driver or application software from the “Staple-Off” mode into a “Staple-On” mode, printing on standard sheets of paper is performed to obtain sets of documents to be distributed.
That is, when printing is performed to make copies on different types of recording media, it is required to execute different jobs, even if the same print information (image information) is being printed. For example, when printing is performed to create one copy on OHP transparency sheets and a plurality of copies on another type of media into a stapled final form, it is required to separately execute respective jobs. That requires a user to perform many complicated operations to obtain differently formatted printed output.
One technique for solving the above problem is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-127751 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/839,158) filed by the present applicant. Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-127751 discloses an information processing apparatus and an interface which make it easier to print in different formats from the same print data. More specifically, it becomes possible to easily make settings for printing on OHP transparency sheets used with overhead projectors at presentations and also settings for printing on sheets for use of distribution.
Although this technique advantageously copies in different formats by issuing a print start command only once, unlike the conventional technique in which it is required to execute multiple jobs, there are still complicated setting operations to be performed for each format.